The trial of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and his co-accused resumed this week, with the prosecution presenting new witnesses who painted a grim picture of life inside the Good News International (GNI) church that has been linked to the Shakahola massacre.
Testifying virtually on Tuesday, November 11, Brenda Muhati Mwaura, the 46th prosecution witness, offered a chilling account of life inside the church under Mackenzie’s leadership.
She told the court that her family joined GNI when she was a teenager and that the church operated from two locations Makongeni in Nairobi and Malindi.
Brenda explained that the movement took a darker turn when Mackenzie declared that hospitals and schools were ungodly, urging members to give up their livelihoods and wait for the second coming of Christ.
"The 26-year-old, daughter of Pastor John Mwaura, a senior cleric who once worked closely with Mackenzie, described how the church’s radical doctrines evolved into a cult-like movement that rejected education, employment, and medical care.
Read More
"The witness told the court that her family joined GNI when she was about 13 and that the church operated two branches in Makongeni, Nairobi, and Malindi. She added that Mackenzie declared hospitals and schools ungodly, warning followers to ‘abandon worldly distractions and prepare for the coming of Jesus," the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said in a statement.
According to Brenda, the teachings deeply influenced her family, especially her father.
"Her father, she said, reinforced these teachings, forcing her to drop out of school in Form Two. The family later moved to Malindi, where Mackenzie frequently cited this witness as an example of a ‘faithful believer’ who had forsaken education for God," the statement added.
Once in Malindi, Brenda became part of the church’s inner operations.
"At the church, the witness worked as a camera operator for Times TV, GNI’s media wing that produced DVDs of Mackenzie’s apocalyptic sermons. She recounted how several youths, including Sidi Smart and Michael Mweri, were hired as editors after abandoning school," the statement further read.
Brenda told the court that she broke away from the church at the age of 18, realizing the manipulation she had endured.
Later, when reports emerged of followers starving in Shakahola Forest, she decided to speak out online, a move that nearly cost her life.
"At 18, she broke away from the church, realizing she had been manipulated. Years later, after learning that followers were starving in the Shakahola Forest, she posted a public warning on Facebook and tagged the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) page, a post that prompted threats from church members," the statement added.
Brenda told the court that soon after, she began receiving threatening phone calls.
"Two people called me, one claimed to be a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier warning me to stop talking about the church. I feared for my life,” she said.
As the church’s activities began to crumble, Brenda said Mackenzie liquidated its property, including vehicles and recording equipment.
"I was terrified. I saw it coming," she said, noting her father eventually cut ties with Mackenzie.
At the same time, the court also heard from Sergeant Joseph Yator, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer, who provided corroborating evidence of the church’s inner workings.
"Her testimony was followed by that of Sergeant Joseph Yator, a DCI officer who was among the first to investigate the tragedy. Yator recounted being called by his superiors in Malindi on the 20th of March 2023, to meet three adults and a malnourished boy rescued from the forest," the statement read.
According to Yator, the rescued child revealed horrifying details about his family’s ordeal.
The DCI officer also presented crucial photographic evidence to the court.
"The child said his parents, Issack Ngala and Emily Kahunga, forced him and his siblings to fast after instructions from Mackenzie. Two of the children died from starvation and suffocation, prompting their grandfather to alert police.
"Yator presented 89 photographs in court showing evidence recovered from the forest, including pamphlets, CDs, and books promoting Mackenzie’s extremist teachings. He also revealed that Mackenzie had previously filed a defamation complaint against Brenda in November 2022, accusing her of claiming online that he was ‘burying people in the bush’ - an allegation later proven true," the statement added.
The court also received testimony from medical experts on the condition of the accused persons.
"The court also heard from Dr. Laurence Nderi, CEO of Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital, who led mental evaluations for 31 accused persons, including Mackenzie. Dr. Nderi confirmed that all were mentally fit to stand trial, except one who was initially found to have a major disorder but later declared fit after treatment," the statement concluded.
